Vehicle brake mechanism.



PATENTED MAE. 17,1908;

E. EIETH, VEHICLE BRAKE MEGEANISM.

APPLxoA'rIox FILED ooT.`10. 1o7.

Witnesses PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

R. FIRTH. VEHICLE BRAKE MEGHANISM. APPLwA'rIoH FILED 0012.10, mov.

Inventor A llorneys..

VEHICLE BRAKE ME CHANISM.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Application led October 10, 1907. Serial No. 396,789.

To all whom it may concer/n.

Be. it known that fl., owmsn Fmrn, a citizen ol' the [,'nitod States,and a resident of the city ol' lhillipsburg, county of \\":irreri, andState ol' New Jersey, have invented an improvement in Vehicle BrakeMechanism, ol' which the following is aspecilication.

rThe object l ha'vc in view is the improvement ol' that type oi' vehiclebrake mechanism which derives its power i'roin the. momentum otl thevehicle, one embodiment ol such type oll brake mechanism being in a formin which the brake shoes are applied to the wheels by means ol' ailexibli-` connecting member which is wound upon a drinn caused torotate by means of a clutch revolved by a turning axle.

By my in'if'ention l increase the power ol' application oll the brakes,the space occupied by the brake mechanism is reduced, the attachment ol'the meclnmism to ear axles and other structures is made possible withoutremoving the wheels, and the apparatus is reu- -dered opcratable l'romeither' end of the vehicle. These and other objects will more fullyappear from an examination ot the following specification andaccompanying drawings.

.ln the drawings. Figure lA is a plan View oli a car truck showing oneembodiment ol my invention applied thereto. Fig. l is a cross section'ol' a portion of the brake applying mechanism taken on the line 2- Y2ol: F' c. fi. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section ol the same taken on theline 3---3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the two camrings Showing. them separated. Fig. 5 is an end View of a portion of thebrake applying mechanism. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view ol" amodification. Fig. 7 is a similar View of another modification; Fig. Sis a section taken on theline 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a section, on areduced scale, on'the line 9-9 of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a detail View ol amodified form of cani ring 5 and Fig. 11 is a detail section of two suchrings.

In all of the views like parts are designated by the same referencecharacters.`

ln Fig. 1 the invention is shown as embodiedA in mechanism for applyingbrakes to cars by engagement of brake shoes with the peripheries oi thewheels, but it is to be understood that the invention may be applied tovehicles other than cars and by the application ol' braking means in anyother manner than by engagement of brake shoes with the peripheries ofwheels.

'lhe brake shoes 1 are applied to the peripheries of the wheels 2 in theusual manner by means` ol the brake beams 3, links 4 and lever The lever5 is turned` .ipon its axis t'or the purpose. of applying the brakeshoes to the wheels by means oll a chain or other ilexiblc tensionmember secured at one end to the lever and connected at the other end toa drum 7. .l`his drinn is rotated, in the embodiment illustrated, bymeans of a clutch 8, such clutch being carried upon the wheel axle t)and having its elements so arranged as to cause the drum 7 to be rotatedwith the axle t) when it is desired to apply the brake, such rotatimiwinding the chain (j upon the drum and moving the lever 5 upon its axis,moving the brake beams 2] together and applying the brake shoes to theperipheries of the wheels. The clutch has its two parts of which it iscomposed engaged or disengaged by a mechanism lading in the direction ofcach end ot' the car. 'lhis mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 1, andcomprises the chains or other tension members 1() and 11. l/Vhere chainsare used, as illustrated, the tension is applied to them by the ordinarybrake spindle and applying wheel (not shown) or by any other mechanism.

'lhc details of the clutch and its applying mechanism are shown in Figs.2, 3, 4, and 5. 'lhe clutch comprises a member 12, which rotates withthe axle 9 at all times, and a sccond member 13, which by engagementwith the member 12 will rotate with such member and when disengagedtherefrom will not rotate. The bearing surfaces are wedge shaped incross section, as is usualfas shown in Figs. -3 and or they may be [latplane surfaces, as shown in Fig. 7. The engaging surfaces of the malemember may be formed ol blocks of wood, as is customary. The clutchmember 12 is shown as made in two parts connected together' by bolts 14or other suitable fastening so that it may be assembled u on the axle 9without removal of the Wieels 2. The member 12 is caused to rotate withthe axle 9 by being secured thereto by keys or other fastenings 15. Thebody 18 of the member 12 is cylindrical and is provided with 'lianges 16and 17. As shown in Fig'. fi.

the tlange 16 carries that portion of thc-clutch member whichconstitutes the friction Surface. The cluteh'meniber 13 turns aroundvmember 13, so that thelatter can freely turn around it. rl`he sleeve isprovided with a ilange 2O at one end, such flange being preierably ofthe same diameter as the flange 17.

'- The sleeve 19 is formed in two parts, as is the clutch member 12, andfor the same purpose. The parts may be connected together by bolts orother fastenings 21 passing through ears 22, as shown in Fig` 6. Theclutch member 13 is also formed in two parts, such arts being securedtogether by bolts or other tastenings 23 (see Fig. 2). The two clutchmembers are caused to be engaged together by a longitudinal movement ofthe clutch member 13, which longitudinal movement is secured by the camrings 24 and 25. These cam rings surround and freely turn upon thesleeve 19, and are located between the flange 20and a flange 26 carriedby the clutch member 13. The point of pivoting of the rings is thecenter of the aXle 9. Preferably the eX- ternal diameter of the camrings is the same as the ilanges 17, 20 and 26,' so this part of theclutch is of uniform diameter, and is free `from irregularities ofoutline, and dust and mud is kept out of the internal portions of themechanism; The abutting faces of the rings 24 and 25 are provided with aseries of cams 27, such series being annular. In theembodimentillustrated there arefthree cams on each ring. The 'cams as vshown areprovided with vertical faces 28 and inclined faces 29. The cams are soarranged that when the two rings 24 and 25 are in engagement one withthe other, by rotating one of the rings and holding the otherstationary, one set of cams will ride up the inclined faces of the otherset of cams and the rings will be separated. If both rings aresimultaneously rotated in opposite directions, the same action willoccur which will result in the separation of the rings in a longitudinaldirection. The ring 24 is caused to engage with the flange 20 and thering 25 is caused to engage with the ilange 26 by rows of balls SOWSO,the rings and flanges being formed in the well known manner toconstitute ball races. The rings are made in parts, such parts beingsecured together by bolts ,31er other suitable fasten;V

ings so that/they may be applied in position or removed without thenecessity of` the removal of the wheels 2.

rings; each is provided with an arm 32.

,/For the purpose of relatively rotating the As shownin Fig. 2, when therings are together and in the unseparated position, the clutch partsbeing out ol' engagement, each of the arms is back of the center' of itspoint of pivoting. The chains l() and 11 cross one another and lead inopposite directions. The

arms are held in this position by means of springs the abutment of thesprings being attached tothe car or other fixed part of the truck. Theend of the chain 6 is attached to the drum 7, and may be secured to theeye 34, which eye may be located within the groove 7 in the drum.

The operation of so much of my invention is as follows: When the vehicleis running and the brake is not applied, the clutch member 13 ywill beat rest and the clutch member 12 will rotate. The rings 24 and 25 willalso not rotate. These rings and the clutch member engaging with thesleeve 19 and flange 20 will also cause such sleeve to be at rest, sothat the rotating part of the clutch and the stationary part of theclutch will be between the sleeve 19 and the body 18. This will relievethe ball bearings from wear and they will 'be reserved for use only whenthe clutch is in action.- To apply the brake, the chain 1() or 11, orboth, is pulled upon, moving one or the other of the arms 33, and

-moving the cam rings 24 and 25 in relation one to the other. The ringwhich is not moved will beprevented from turning by the anchoring actionof its spring The cams on the stationary ring become abutments forengagement with the cams on the moving ring, and the rings are therebyseparated in a direction parallel to the center line of the axle 9,exerting a separating stress between the flanges 20 and 26, and causingthe engagement of the clutch member 13 with the clutch member 12. Thedegree of application of the clutch will depend upon the amount oftension applied to the chains 10 or 11. The clutch member 13 will nowrotate and wind up the chain 6 on the drum 7, applying the brake vin themanner already described. When the clutch members are engaged theflanges 20 and 30 will be brought together and the increased frictionthereby produced will cause the sleeve 19 to turn with the clutch member12, and as the rings 24 and 25 do not turn, the work will be transferredto the ball bearings, which will transmit the power from the cams to theclutclr with the minimum amount of friction. Whentthe brake is released,the slacking up on either of the chains l() or 11 will cause the springs33 to move the arms 32 to their normal position, causing the cams 29 toslide down the inclined faces of the opposin r cams, :nrhpermitting thetwo rings 24 ani. 25 to come together, thus releasing the clutch.

ln the inodi'lication of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the clutch isduplex, it having two male members and two female members. The femalemember is formed upon flanges P5-of a body 37 which is keyed orotherwise secured to the axle 9, and is divided, as already described,so as to be readily applied to such axle. A sleeve 36 turns loosely uponthe body 37 of the clutch member, and carries one male member 38 and aflange 39.

- their position on the rings.

' brake.

`the same structure used as in Fig. 6, exe

v 11,11 series of' balls ist is interposed between the cams 27 to reducetriction in applying the troughs 45, which serve to retain the balls` inle of ni invention tovether with the n.

The other male member il() turns freely upon l the sleeve 36 and carriesthe drinn 7. 'the j clutch rings 24 and 25, as in the otherl l'orm, liebetween the sleeve 3S und the rhin-hl member 40. By relatively rotatingthese ringsthe sleeve 3S and member l0 arc sepairated, nipplying the twomovingr clutch members in engagement with the two sintioiiary clutchmembers, and rousing the rotation of the drum and the application ot theThe clutch member At() may curry blocks 4l, the clutch vmember havingradiaiting ribs 43, so that an abutment will boE formed for the blocksand they will be prevented from being broken away from their attachmentto the member when the clutch is applied.

vIn the modification shown in Figs. 7 and S,

cept that the clutch members h re-plane surfaces instead ol inclinedsurfaces. 'lhe moving clutch members may be in the lorm of blocks 4l,secured to the flanges 3l) and 42, such flanges having radiating ribs43, as already described.

In the modification shown in Figs. l() and clutch. These balls lic incurved `grooves or place between the rings, and to determine naccordance with the provisions ot thel patent statutes, l have describedthe principaratus which I now consider to represent the best embodimentthereof, but kl desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown ismerely illustrative and that the invention l can be carried out in otherways. l

Having new described my invention, what i I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: fo,

Jl. A vehicle broke mechanism having I means for arrestingthe rotationol a rotar)N Y member and means for applying such means, suoliapplymgmeans being actuated by a' said clutch having two parts which aremusol 'to them.

l l l i clutch rotated by the rotating member, the l 2, A vehicle brakemechanism hziving n l brake shoe and zi. clutch and connectionsbetweenithe clutch and the brake shoe for applying the latter, the saidclutch being formed of`two members, one of which rotates f with theWheels of the vehicle, and the other is normally at Vrest and isconnectedno the l l sipeirnted b v their mutual relative rotation andthe clutch parts thereby engaged, and

means connected m opposite lireetions l'or operating onr` or both ol'the rings.

3. X vehicle brake mechanism lniiving a clutch lor applying the brake,thel said clutch having a portion permanentl".v secured toits supportingzixle, a sleeve loosely surrounding such portion :1nd lrce to turnthereon, :L clutch member surrounding the sleeve and free to turnthereon, :ind :L 'plirirulitv of cuni rings surrounding the sleeve undconnected thereto and to the clutch member by ball leariiigs L Avvehicle brake mechanism having a clutch lor applying the brake, thesaid clutch being rotated by one ol'v the supporting axles ofthenvehiclc undr having a clutch member permanently secured to the axle,the said clutch member being Vformed in parts, a sleeve looselysurrouinling the clutch meinber end lree to turn thereon, the saidsleeve being formed in parts, :i second clutch member formed in partsand loosely surrtninding the sleeve and a plurzilitvol) ouin rii'igsformed in parts and surrounding the sleeve with ball bearings etiveenone olE the rings and the sleeve and between the other ring and theclutch part.

5. A vehicle bi'alie mechanism having a clutch mounted upon one ol theaxles of the vehirlx und connected to the brnhe, the said clutchcomprising a clutch part permanently secured io the axle :nid u` se'ondclutch part l mounted thereon but l'ree to Vturn independcnil)yol`tlicn.\le,a1id menus l'or npplving the two clutch parts together,such. means comprising two rings, rnms upon the rings, such, cnmsonguging together, und means lor relas tively moving the rings, 1u-robyrthe clutch parts are applied together.

o. A vehicle brake mechanism having in combination with the uxlo, abrake, und bi'alic shoes :unl clutch connections between the clutch undbralic shoes l'or applying the lutter, :ind menus lor applying theclutch parts, such means comprising tivo rings surrounding the axle,llnl snid rings havingl cams upon ilu-ir abutting lin-os, menus l`orindepondonllv moving the rings, und niezius l'oi' noininzillv holdingthe rings .so that the calms :iro in :L disongngi-,d posilion.

'l`liif. spei'ilirution signed und witnessed this fourth day ol'October, 15107.

.l'itnesses:

lli-:oxxnn i'l. Dvi-1n, Joux S. lio'rseii.

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